explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:111: Firefox and Witchcraft - The Connection?

2023-05-11T07:41:47Z

172.71.102.4: /* Are you still in business? */ new section

Correlation does not equal causation.... I think that's one of the underlying points of this. That, and people who use IE don't understand that. {{unsigned ip|‎108.162.219.56}}

The link to Revelation 22 is misleading. It was written several centuries before the Bible was compiled, and the phrase "this book" presumably refers to the Book of Revelation. A better scripture to link to is [[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+4%3A2&version=ESV Deuteronomy 4:2]], which prohibits editing the words that god commands you. That's not the entire bible, but it's enough that you could realistically call it closed source. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.90|199.27.128.90]] 00:23, 2 August 2014 (UTC)

The use of the open-source closed-source terminology is flawed here: open-source simply means that the source code (the program for IE and words for the Bible) is available to be read.

It does NOT mean that you can edit it (even if you don't distribute it) as anybody who owns a TiVo or has tried reading a Terms of Service document knows; that 'right' would come under the more important "Free Software" umbrella, as [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html this article by Richard Stallman] explains.
[[User:YatharthROCK|YatharthROCK]] ([[User talk:YatharthROCK|talk]]) 06:03, 3 August 2014 (UTC)
:Open source does mean you can edit it. See the [http://opensource.org/osd-annotated Open Source Definintion]: "The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software." [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.189|108.162.219.189]] 02:48, 2 November 2014 (UTC)
::Wouldn't that be opensource.org's definition? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.124|108.162.237.124]] 22:50, 21 November 2014 (UTC) Steven

It looks like Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster's statistics on the relation between pirate's numbers and global temperature[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PiratesVsTemp(en).svg].--[[User:Anodibdogb|Anodibdogb]] ([[User talk:Anodibdogb|talk]]) 12:50, 3 September 2014 (UTC)

The Microsoft + Christianity is probably a reference to Microsoft acquiring Christianity. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.65|108.162.216.65]]

This comic was in June, not August, so it might not be brought to life like us three. [[User:Missed Connections|935: Missed Connections]] ([[User talk:Missed Connections|talk]]) 23:53, 17 April 2023 (UTC)

== Are you still in business? ==

Hi,
Are you still in business?
I found a few errors on your site.
Would you like me to send over a screenshot of those errors?

Regards
Joe
(714) 908-9255

2767: Recipe Relativity

2023-04-25T11:14:58Z

172.71.102.4: Removed a faulty piece of text about volume changing in different ratios – all volumes would change by a constant factor γ = 3. In its place I added a remark about how the onion slices would end up being 3/4" thick.

{{comic
| number = 2767
| date = April 24, 2023
| title = Recipe Relativity
| image = recipe_relativity_2x.png
| imagesize = 303x332px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It says to cut the onions into 1/4" slices, but I'd better correct for length contraction.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EDITOR MOVING AT 94% OF THE SPEED OF LIGHT- Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In this comic, [[Randall]] is cooking a recipe found online. It took him much longer than the recipe said it would, and he concludes that this was due to the recipe author moving at 94% of the speed of light, causing relativistic effects. This is most likely not true, as a more reasonable explanation is that the recipe author is merely a more experienced cook than Randall.{{citation needed}}

The title text takes this even further, saying that because of {{w|Length contraction|Lorentz contraction}} caused by the recipe author moving close to the speed of light, he should use different sizes for the ingredients. In all likelihood, this wouldn't benefit the outcome of the recipe: in the case of the 1/4" onion slices in the title text, Randall would end up with 3/4" onion slices—far too thick for most people's liking.

==Transcript==
:[In a small square panel the top part is written in black. It looks like a search from the internet and most of the top part of the browser is too small to be read. There are three small squares and a long rectangular address bar. To the right of the first small square which has a triangle inside it pointing down, there are two lines with unreadable text. Then followed by the second square, which are empty, and the address bar with a long line of unreadable text. Finally there are two lines of unreadable text before the last square which has a symbol inside it. Beneath this is a large header which can easily be read:]
:<big>Black bean burrito bowl</big>

:[Beneath this header there is a line with unreadable text, and below that line a thin empty rectangle. Beneath this are the second line of readable text. The last part indicating a time is circled in red. The readable black words are written in normal letters, as opposed to the standard of xkcd with all small caps.]
:Total time: 35 minutes

:[Beneath this there are three more lines of text, but this has all been written in red. Also it uses the standard xkcd all caps text format. The first line is normal text. And the last indication of time is also circled in red as the one above it, and a small double arrow goes between those two red lines around the time.]
:My actual time: 1h 45m
:[Below this there are two lines with equations written in math version, but here given here in text. The last result is also circled in red.]
:t=t'/√(1-v2/C2)
:v=c*√(1-(t'/t)2) = c*√(1-(35/105)2) = 0.94c

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I think this recipe author is moving past me at 94% of the speed of light.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Food]]

2737: Weather Station

2023-02-14T09:06:46Z

172.71.102.4: /* Explanation */ title text

{{comic
| number = 2737
| date = February 13, 2023
| title = Weather Station
| image = weather_station_2x.png
| imagesize = 359x401px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Pour one out for precipitation data integrity,' I say, solemnly upending the glass into the rain gauge.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a WEATHER DATA INTERPRETING BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Weather stations are usually equipped to measure atmospheric conditions for weather forecasts and studies on the weather and climate. An anemometer is a device often found in such stations that measures wind speed and direction. The anemometer shown in the comic is a typical three-cup anemometer, whose spin rate is proportional to the wind speed. Thus spinning the cups quickly by hand can create an impression of fast winds.

Combing the speed of winds in a F1 tornado (73~112 mph) and the speed ratio of typical three-cup anemometers (1/2~1/3) gives a cup speed of ~16m/s, comparing the diameter of the anemometer to that of Cueball's arm gives an upper estimate of 0.5 meters (~two feet), [https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=16m%2Fs%2F%280.5m*pi%29 topping out at roughly 10 turns per second], which is within a reasonable range for a human.

In the title text weather falsification continues, this time by confusing a {{w|rain gauge}}, ironically in the form of a {{w|libation}} for the now "deceased" correct rainfall data.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Cueball is standing halfway up a stepladder on the top of a building, spinning a anemometer quickly.

In the lower-left corner of the panel, a array of computers are shown on server racks, connected to each other by cables. The word "WHEEE!" is coming from one of them.

Caption below the panel: Whenever I see one of those little weather stations, I have to fight the urge to climb up and spin the anemometer real fast to make a computer somewhere think it's in a tornado.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Weather]]
[[Category: Tornadoes]]